(Video link here.) When Sue Austin got a power chair 16 years ago after an extended illness, she felt a tremendous sense of freedom — yet others looked at her as though she had lost something. ‘Limitation’, ‘fear’, ‘pity’, ‘restriction’ were the words people used when they tried to imagine using a power chair.

I was seeing myself not from my perspective, but vividly and continuously from the perspective of other people’s responses to me.

Realizing she had internalized these responses on a core level, she repurposed her wheelchair to become an object to paint and make art with, a vehicle for transformation (in which she even deep sea dived).

Freewheeling/Norman Lomax / Rex Features

It showed that an arts practice can remake ones identity and transform preconceptions by revisioning the familiar.

This year, my 50th, I had to use a wheelchair after many years with MS. Words are insufficient to describe how invisible you are and and how degrading that feels. Sue Austin and her art redefine my worldview on this. While I am not in a wheelchair, now I will be again. But next time it is my portal.
I am unable to find a poster or good print of her image underwater, which I would love to see each day. Any suggestions?
Thank you for this powerful video of an amazing person.

I remember seeing the photo of her diving in the wheelchair but had not watched the talk. Astounding and so affirming of what we as parents of the disabled constantly work towards articulating about our children with differences.

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